Newsweek articleClick on the link above to read an article from the February 18, 2008, edition of Newsweek. What are your thoughts?
Lit Terms 2
5 years ago
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
The War We Forgot
Posted by A. Davis at 8:28 AM
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22 comments:
I think that we should put up a memorial for WWI. Countless people, Americans, Englishmen, died in that war to make sure that we had a world safe enough to live in. I believe that we should honor everyone because no matter what side they fought on they were pretty much fighting for the same thing, their families and homes. I know that this sounds bad since we are in a war right now and I honestly hope that we win but when will people realize that we COULD settle things peacefully if we really tried to. Are people's lives really that unimportant? Sometimes a war is absolutely necessary to achieve peace. So I guess I see both sides to it.
~Anne F.
I agree that it would be horribly wrong for Americans to just let the last WW1 veteran pass on into the shadows of death without a word. Even celebrities get more attention and they've never even had to get their hands dirty in a war. We owe it as the children eating the fruits of liberty and freedom handed to us by people like Frank Buckles to show that we at least notice what they did for us, appreciated it even.
I just don't understand how we as a whole can seemingly brush aside the gruesome facts of what these men endured and never even considered thanking them in some way, even if we could never thank them enough. Is America really that pathetic now?
Don't get me wrong. I love this country and the freedom we enjoy here but lately we're falling, and falling alarmingly fast. We can't allow this war or any other war to be forgotten. History repeats itself and if we forget our history we will blindly make the same mistakes all over again.
-M.D. 3rd Block
I believe that a memorial should be raised for World War I. Just because it's in the past does not mean that the effects on the families, the many deaths, are not important. I believe it to be a tragedy if we do not honor the death of our last WWI veteran. It’s only a shame that we didn’t do more for them during life. They risked everything for us, and yet they were forgotten as time passed. They faced countless horrors, but in the shadow of more recent wars, they were pushed aside. They need to be honored while atleast one still lives, and his death should be marked with a remembrance ceremony.
I strongly believe that a WWI memorial should be constructed. Millions of lives were lost and affected by this "great war". Every "great" war since the original has had a memorial built for their soldiers, so why should WWI be an exception. As time has passed, the thought of this war has slowly vanished from the minds of society and I feel that it should be remembered just as those fought after World War 1 have been. Those who lost there lives were people too, just like us. Yet, we get remembered for far less important things. They fought to protect our country's freedom and save lives, while society gets remembered for winning a boxing match. In short, I absolutely believe that a memorial should be constructed for those who perished in the first "great war".
I think that the least they can do is to make a nice memorial for our last WWI vet. He deserves it. Someone who gave their life for something has to be rewarded, even if it's in the smallest way. Although it is kinda logical for us not to have a big WWI memorial since the US didn't fight such a long time in WWI. There still should be one though. Just to honor those who gave everything they had. Not just their time in the battlefield. But basically their entire life. War is something that a man cannot forget once he has been through it.
I agree with everyone's post. I definately think that a memorial place should be put up in honor of all the men who fought in WWI. I think that if we made another movie like "All Quiet On the Western Front", it would give people a more personal perspective on all the people who fought for us, all the injured, and the men who died in the war. There is only one man still living from that war. The others are gone now, but they should never be forgotten.
Erycka R.
I think it's a disgrace to the veteran and families' of veterans past. I believe that they should hold a large funeral for Mr. Buckles. He represents a huge part of the history of America. I also agree with everyone else in saying that there really should be a memorial built to honor the veterans memory. Every other major war has one so why shouldn't World War I. I believe that the conflict that people in charge of memorials and monuments believe is that, since America entered the war so late that it really doesn't have that much importance. If two million soldiers fought in the war then it obviously had some significance for us.
-Brandon C.
WOW! That is amazing 107 years old that is crazy. What do these people do to live so long. However on a serious note, this is a very sad article. These were not just people they were husbands, brothes, uncles, and more. They faught for our freedom, and yet we do nothing in return to thank them for it. They may not be living on the earth anymore, but one day when we do put up a memorial they and their family will be greatful, and WWI will no longer be the forgoten war.
*B. Strickland*
4th Block
I think that the least they can do is to make a nice memorial for our last WWI vet. He deserves it. Someone who gave their life for something has to be rewarded, even if it's in the smallest way. Although it is kinda logical for us not to have a big WWI memorial since the US didn't fight such a long time in WWI. There still should be one though. Just to honor those who gave everything they had. Not just their time in the battlefield. But basically their entire life. War is something that a man cannot forget once he has been through it.
Ricardo W. (notice this is the same as the one above, the one above was mine, I just forgot my name. :P)
I guess if the frontlines of World War I could not kill this guy then nothing can! But, are you kidding me? There is no memorial for World War I? These guys were called upon by our country in a time of need and they stepped it up with some clutch battles. Those brave men have fought just as hard, if not harder, for our country then any other group of soldiers in our history. Any one that risks their lives for our country deserves at least some recognition for what they did.
-Yo boi Conor Hale a.k.a. C dizzle
I belive it would be an excellent idea to have some kind of memorial for all of those men who had to live through that. Even if there is not much film or pictures or 'modern proof' they should not be forgotten. Forgetting them would just force the hardship of fitting in upon them, just like Paul describes it in All Quiet. They risked their lives and yet we repay them by pushing them to the background to 'focus on the living'? That hardly seems like a fair reward to me, but who ever said life was fair? Either way, these men should not be forgotten. From this country or any other. A life is a life, no matter what it is camoflauged as.
~Amber B.
I can't believe that we don't have a memorial for WWI. I think every war that we have had so far should have a memorial of some kind. The men who have died for us to be safe need some kind of recognition. It's not fair that WWII has a memorial and WWI doesn't. I totally think that if putting up a memorial for all the veterans is hard, we should put up a huge one for Frank Woodruff Buckles because he is the only one living now. He might die soon so we should honor him. But, of course, war is not the way to solve ALL problems and it should not go on. Don't get me wrong, there are situations that have to be solved a bad way but not ALL. We are fighting for what we believe is right and others are fighting for what they believe. We all think everyone else is wrong and we don't realize that many are dying because of this. I really hope that one day we have a memorial for WWI.
-Stella K. 3rd
I think that this is a major flaw in the government of the United States. They think they can seemingly dwindle the remembrance of the first World War into the shadows of their memory. It is absolutely ridiculous and absurd that they cannot hold a memorial for the last solider of WWI. To add, the it blows my mind even more that they don't even have a list of the fallen soldiers in this war? Absolutely ridiculous if you ask me. You can at least have some decency to record a major occurrence in the history of the United States, let alone the whole entire world. I agree with the "last ditch" efforts of Jay Winter in trying to recreate actual battles in this battle of world powers. Furthermore, I think it is pure malarkey to offer the last WWI veteran of the whole entire U.S. to be in a flag raising ceremony..of WWII. All I have to say to this is, come on America, grow a heart and respect you veterans of one of the most gruesome but impacting wars of the history of the world.
-chuckDZ, fir name las name
I definitely believe that we should build a memorial for World War I. It's the right thing to do. Those men and women sacrificed everything for us; they put their lives on the line for four years to protect our country, and we can't put up a memorial in remembrance of them? What's up with that? If I were the last living soldier from World War I and I saw nothing was done to remember that brave generation, i would be both upset and disappointed. I know that the memorial would cost some money, but the time that those soldiers served our country is priceless. WE NEED A WWI MEMORIAL!
-Chad Voytik a.k.a. SeaVoyager
P.S. Whatever those guys ate or drank to live to be 108-years-old, i want some
I think that it's insane that we don't have a WWI memorial. I mean, it was the first war that basically affected the whole war. If I was still living from the war, I would be ticked off for not being recognized for all the physical and emotional work that I had to do during the war. I agree with M.D. that even celebrities get more attention when they really don't have to do anything. I don't find that very fair, since the veterans put their lives at stake and fought for everyone in America, even those celebs who get credit for doing less important things. I do hope that Mr. Buckles gets to see some kind of memorial or something of the sort before he dies. I think that that would make him feel like his fighting was worth while.
~Courtney w. 4th period
If we honor our troops so much, i think it weird that we don't have any kind of memorial for WWI. It's the same blood that was spilled over the same European soil, so then why not give them the same honor? Maybe it's also because we don't really find a reason for which they were fighting, WWII was different, there was a reason, but I don't know, some things are just forgotten, whether on purpose or not we gotta move forward, maybe it's time to forget about our past and start working towards a better future, so that the next time they make statues in memory of past events, those statues are there because of good, joyful, and inspiring times instead of the remembrance of past grief and sorrow. May we make better choices next time.
I think that these veterans definitely deserve a memorial for WW1. Many people suffered their lives for us and the least they deserve is to have a their name shown for all the things that they did for us. Whether they're living or not, they still deserve to be honored for going out there giving up their lives and everything they had for us. I think family members or close friends of the veterans would really appreciate if they would build a memorial for them. This is the only major war so far that has not built a memorial, i don't quite understand why there isn't one for WW1. So i definitely think there should be a memorial for rememberance of these soldiers.
-Christina R.
I think the WW1 veterns should definitely have a memorial. I'm suprized they don't already. They gave their lives for us and for our freedom, the least we can do is put up a memorial for them. Why should we let people who died for our country become forgotten? I know that if I had been in the war and saw that there wasn't a memorial I would be disappointed and I would feel like no one cared. I can't even imagine what their families would think, their loved ones died for the country and they're not even getting honored for it.
~Callie B.
I believe that there should be a place where we honor and remember the people who fought and died in WWI. They sacrificed their lives for us. We should honor them and their families to appreciate and let them know that some people didn't forget about them. We need to remember the reason that they fought, it was for our freedom. It kind of reminds me of Jesus, although in nature, how He sacrificed His life for our freedom. People also forget about that. Our country needs to make a national monument to honor WWI veterans. Since most of the veterans of WW1 are dead, it is up to us who are alive to make sure that they are not forgotten. "We the people" need to start a movement to ensure that before the last WWI veteran dies, that a monument honoring them be built. So let us remember and never forget.
~Leah Smalley
I don't think it's fair at all that WWI hardly gets the time of day. The men in that war went through more than we could possibly imagine, yet they don't get as near as much of the recognition that they should. Those men gave up their lives to fight therefore they should be recognized and honored. People should take pride in their country, and in order to do so they need to honor and study their history. It's completely wrong to just forget about this huge moment in history. There was another World War, not just WW2 and people need to realize that. I don't think it's fair at all that they're not acting upon as they should with the fact that there is ONE man left that could die any day. If people would've read All Quiet then maybe it would be an eye opener for them. I know it was for me.
- Trisha Johnson, 4th
I think, that the veterans from WWI are under appreciated. Its like the government is pretending that war didn't happen. I don't think it's really necessary to have a war ever. War is basically only a way for leaders of countries to get glory for themselves, because anything else they wanted could really be worked out face to face.
Meghann B. - 3rd Period
I agree with the ones saying there should be a WWI memorial. If you went through those horrors, wouldn't you want at least a tiny bit of recognition? We, today, don't even think about what exactly they went through. It's only proper to make a memorial. This could be a small thanks to the ones who gave their lives. Seeing this memorial up will show people to be more appreciative of the war. "All Quiet" made me really think about how bad it really was. I know we had an even worse war right after, but that doesn't make WWI something that should be forgotten. The last man living needs some kind of glory just like the people in wars today get theirs. It's the least we can do.
-Summer C. (4th period)
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